Before Harry Potter
by Gryffindorisgreat
Summary: This is the story of Lily and the Marauders. I know its not that good. So just give me ideas of how to improve it without being to harsh.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: All Harry Potter stuff belongs to J K Rowling the rest is mine.

One morning in early June, a red-headed, eleven year old Lily Evans woke up with a start. It was only 5:00 in the morning and her sister Petunia and their parents weren't awake yet. She quietly walked down the stairs and into the kitchen to wait for everyone to wake up when she heard the sound of a letter sliding though the mail slot. "It's a little early for the mail to be coming," she said to herself as she walked to the front door. There she found a letter addressed to her in emerald green ink laying on the carpet. When she turned the envelope over she saw a purple wax seal bearing a coat of arms: a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a snake surrounding a large letter _H_. She pulled out the letter and read:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

_of_ WITCHCRAFT _AND _WIZARDRY

Headmaster:Albus Dumbledore

_(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Walock,_

_Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)_

Dear Miss Evans,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted

at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find

enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins September 1. We await your owl by no later

than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Minerva McGonagall,

_Deputy Headmistress_

This must be some kind of a joke, she thought. There is no way I could be a witch. Then she remembered what that her friend Snape had told her. She had been at the park with Petunia, jumping off the swings when she got as high as they could go without hurting herself at all. Severus Snape had been hiding in the bushes watching her when suddenly he came out and told her that she was a witch. She didn't believe him when he had told her about Hogwarts and that she would be getting her letter soon. After that they had met many times and Snape told her about the castle the school was located in and all about the four houses; Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. She slipped the letter back into the parchment envelope when she noticed a second piece of paper.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

_of_ WITCHCRAFT _and_ WIZARDRY

UNIFORM

First-year students will require:

1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)

2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear

3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)

4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)

Please note that all of pupils' clothes should carry name tags

COURSE BOOKS

All students should have a copy of each of the following:

_The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)_

By Miranda Goshawk

_A History of Magic _by Bathilda Bagshot

_A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration _by Emeric Switch

_One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi_

By Phyllida Spore

_Magical Drafts and Potions _by Arsenius Jigger

_Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_

by Newt Scammander

_The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection_

by Quentin Trimble

OTHER EQUIPMENT

1 wand

1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)

1 set of crystal or glass phials

1 telescope

1 set of brass scales

Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS

ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS

Just then Lily's parents walked down the stairs. She bounded towards them exited to show them.the letter. She saw the look on their faces change from shock to surprise. Soon Lily and her parents were sittting in the kitchen talking about this letter. "Lily," her father began," we are so happy for you. From the moment you were born we always knew that there was something different about you, in a good way of course," he added seeing the look on his youngest daughters face. "We would never dream of trying to stop you from going to learn magic, but I have no idea where you can buy any of these supplies. A telescope and brass scales maybe but how are we supposed to find you a wand?"

"Dad, I'm sure we'll be able to find them somehow. I really want to go to Hogwarts." Lily paused as if trying to remember something. "I know, I can ask my friend. His name is Severus Snape. I met him at the playground one day and he told me all about this. He told me that he's a wizard and his parents are magic too. I'm sure he knows where I can buy this stuff."

"That sounds wonderful, honey," said her mother as she got up from the table and started making breakfast. "All that we really have to do now is contact this boy and his parents and ask for directions. We should be able to find it that way. So its settled then, you can go to Hogwarts." Lily was exicted until she saw the look on Petunia's face. Usually her older sister was excited when something good happened for Lily, but if looks could kill Lily would have been dead.

"Petunia, whats the matter aren't you happy for me." Lily asked cautiously. She didn't want to say anything to set Petunia off.

"Of course I'm not happy, I don't want you going to school to learn magic. You'll be a freak. Besides, how come I never got a letter. I want to learn magic to. " Petunia answered.

"Well maybe if you write a letter to Professor Dumbledore he'll tell you why, and maybe he'll let you come." Lily said with tears in her eyes. Petunia had called her a freak.

Petunia sounded happier already.Thanks, Lily. I think I will write to Professor Dumbledor. He'll know why I didn't get that letter when I was your age." The rest of the morning was rather uneventful. After eating breakfast Lily and Petunia watched TV while her parents finished cleaning up. Lily managed to invite Snape over and soon they were excitedly talking about Hogwarts, and what they would learn when they got there. "Severus, where can I find my books, robes, and equipment. None of the shops I know about sell stuff like that. Especially a wand."

"That's not a problem," he answered quickly. "You can get it all in Diagon Alley. There's this old pub in London called the Leakey Cauldron. If you go to the back door and find a certain brick you can get it. It think its three up two across. You have to tap it three times. The first place you need to go is Gringotts, the wizarding bank, to get your gold. Its run by goblins, just to let you know. You can exchange muggle money for wizard gold. All the shops you need are in Diagon Alley."

"Thanks Severus, you've been a lot of help. I never would have been able to do it without you. Before you go, how do you get onto Platform 9 3/4. I haven't seen it before."

"Oh, thats easy, all you have to do is walk straight into the barrier between platforms 9 and 10. Don't worry," he added seeing the look on Lily's face," the wall isn't solid it'll let you right through. Well, I have to be going now. See-ya on September 1 Lily."

"Yeah, bye Severous.

Lily told her parents where she could get her school supplies, and they told her that they could get them next weekend.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Sorry it took so long for this second chapter. I've been really busy lately and haven't had a chance to update.

The next weekend Lily woke up extra early. Today was the day she had been waiting for. Today was the day she would finally get the chance to go to Diagon Alley to get her school supplies. She walked over to her desk where she kept the list of supplies from Hogwarts. Lily had been doing this every morning since the day the letter had arrived. When she looked down at the corner of the desk where she usually kept it she noticed that it was gone.

Lily searched her room for her letter frantically, which was hard because she was trying to be quiet. She pulled open all the drawers and flung their contents all over the floor not caring what it was when it wasn't her letter. Soon her room was a disaster zone.

Feeling defeated she walked into the kitchen. Her father was sitting at the table reading his newspaper while her mother made breakfast. "Dad, have you seen my letter? It was sitting on my desk last night and when I woke up it was gone. I don't know what to do. I've searched my room and couldn't find it. Maybe it's down..."

"Now Lily," her father interrupted, " I'm sure your letter is around here somewhere. After breakfast I will help you look for it. You probably just misplaced it because you were so excited. Stop worrying it'll come up." Just then Petunia walked into the kitchen.

"What is going on here? Haven't you ever heard of sleeping in on a Saturday morning."

" Well, Lily has lost her school letter. She was frantic and most likely didn't realize how much noise she was making. You wouldn't happen to know where it is, would you Petunia?"

"What would I want with her stupid letter? Anyway, even if I would have taken it what would I do with it." Petunia answered. Lily saw Petunia smirking while she said this. "Maybe Petunia did take it. I did find that letter to Dumbledore in her room asking if she could go to Hogwarts to." Lily thought to herself as she sat down to eat.

Lily finished before anyone else and rushed upstairs, telling everyone that she was going to look in her room one more time. Instead of entering her bedroom she continued down the hall a little farther and quietly slipped into Petunia's room. She quickly scanned the room trying to decide where she begin when she saw a piece of parchment laying on top of the vanity. She quickly walked over and saw that it was her letter. She ran back downstairs, waving the letter in her hand. She hurriedly told everyone that she had in fact misplaced it and had found it laying under her bed. Lily couldn't help but notice that Petunia looked a little disappointed.

Soon everyone was finished eating. Lily and her father got into the car. Petunia had said that she didn't feel like going so Mrs. Evans had stayed home with her. Lily clutched the letter in her hand so that there was no chance that it would blow away. They soon arrived at the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron. Lily entered the shabby pub first followed by her father. He walked up to the bar told the bar tender, a toothless old wizard by the name of Tom, that he was a muggle and this was his daughters first year at Hogwarts.

"I'll take you out and show you how to get into Diagon Alley," he said as he motioned for them to follow him out a door into a small courtyard with nothing but a few trash cans in it. He tapped a brick on the wall and immediately the bricks began to move forming an archway into the crowded, noisy alley. Lily looked around her staring at everything. She had never seen anything like this before. There were shops selling cauldrons, quills and ink, spell books, potion ingredients, brass scales and telescopes, robes, owls, broomsticks and a rather shabby looking shop that sold wands. Up ahead was a huge snow white building. A sign above it read Gringotts. Tom who was still standing beside them explained everything to her father.

As soon as Tom left her father headed straight towards the huge building. "That's the bank," he said as the walked down the street towards it, "we need to exchange our money first." He sounded a little nervous, and when Lily asked him why he told her that it was run by goblins. Lily who already knew this from Severous told him that there was nothing to worry about.

After they had gotten their money Lily bought her books, robes, scales, telescope, cauldron, and a large brown barn owl she decided to name Archimedes. The last thing she needed was a wand. She turned towards Ollivanders and cautiously walked inside. She looked around at the shelves piled high with thousands of wands and stared in disbelief. Suddenly and old man with strange silver eyes appeared as if out of nowhere.

"Lily Evans I presume," he said

"Yes, that's right but how did you know my name."

"Lily, I know all the new students names. So you need a wand?"

"Yes," she answered nervously. She wasn't so sure she like Mr. Ollivander.

He walked down an aisle, pulled a box off the shelf, and quickly returned with it.

"Here, "he said as he handed her the wand," ten and a quarter inches, swishy, made of willow. A nice wand for charms work. Here give it a wave." Lily took the wand from him and immediately felt a warmth spread through her body starting at her fingers. When she gave it a wave green sparks flew out of the end. "You were an easy customer Miss Evans. That will be seven galleons." Lily paid him seven gold coins for her wand and walked out of the shop.

As Lily and her father walked back to the Leaky Cauldron, she noticed to boys with their noses pressed up against the window of a store called Quality Quidditch Supplies. One of them had extremely messy black hair and glasses. The other had black hair to but his was, well perfect.

When Lily arrived home again she went up to her bedroom and spent the whole night reading her new textbooks. She couldn't wait for term to start on September first.

A/N: Hope you like it please, please, please, please REVIEW!!


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: The characters you recognize belong to J.K.R. The rest belong to me.

A:N/ Thanks to all the people that reviewed last chapters. I really appreciated it.

Lily could not sleep at all the night before September 1. She was too excited about going to Hogwarts the next day. She checked the contents of her trunk to make sure that nothing was missing, and searched her room for anything she wanted to take along. Her mother came into the room at one point to ask Lily if she wanted to eat anything before they left, but she was to busy finishing the last search of her trunk to answer.

At 10:15 the whole family got into the car for the short drive to King's Cross Station. Lily could hardly sit still during the ride. Lily quickly walked over to the barrier between platforms nine and 10 waiting for the rest of her family to show up. She looked around and was surprised to see many other families with children pushing their trunks straight through the barrier. Soon her family caught up with her. Petunia looking very sullen and not at all happy to be seen with someone carrying an owl. "Lily, I don't think we're all going to come onto the platform with you. Your mother and I don't really like the idea of walking through a wall, even if it's not going to hurt," her father told her, "and I don't think Petunia is too thrilled about the idea either," he said after seeing the look on Petunia's face.

"Bye, honey," her mother said, " have a great term, and don't forget to write. We will see you at Christmas won't we?"

"Of course you will," Lily answered reassuring her mother. "Bye 'Tuney, bye dad, bye mom," and with that she started walking toward the barrier. She closed her eyes as she got closer and when she opened them again she saw a scarlet steam engine and a sign reading Hogwart's Express 11:00. With the help of a few older students, she managed to get her trunk into a compartment. She had looked around for Severus, but when she didn't find him, she took an empty compartment toward the back of the train.

Soon the door slid open, "Is anyone sitting there?" a young girl asked nervously still standing in the doorway.

"No, you can sit here. I don't really know anyone at Hogwarts, except for Severus, but I can't find him." Lily answered motioning toward an empty seat, which the girl took. She looked small for eleven and had brown hair, and pale blue eyes.

"I'm Alice" the girl said smiling now, "I don't really know anyone either, even though all my family are witches and wizards I never really got out much. What about you?"

"I'm Lily. I don't know anyone because I never even knew about magic until Severus told me, and then I got my letter, but I'm glad I did." The train had started moving now and Lily and Alice talked for a while.

Soon the compartment door opened again. When Lily looked over, she saw the two boys from Diagon Alley along with another. The third boy was pale and shabby looking. Unlike the other two boys his hair was sandy blond and had deep blue eyes.

"Are these seats taken?" he asked Lily and Alice.

"No, help yourself," Lily answered. Before she had finished all three of the boys walked into the compartment and sat down. "I'm Lily, by the way and this is Alice."

"I'm Remus," the sandy haired boy answered, "this is James," he said pointing at the boy with the untidy black hair and glasses, " and this is Sirius." After everyone had been properly introduced, they struck up and interesting conversation about what house they wanted to be in when the got to Hogwarts. All of them said Gryffindor.

The scenery speeding by grew wilder and the sky darkened. Before long, a voice boomed throughout the train saying that they would be arriving at Hogwarts in five minutes. Everyone changed into their robes and the topic of discussion turned to how excited they were about finally arriving.

A:N/ Hope you liked this chapter. Please review A LOT!!


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